Zachariah (Wyrd West)
This page is part of the defunct Wyrd West continuity and is no longer considered canon. For the primary canon version of Zach, see Zach. Zach is a recurring character in Wyrd West ''continuity, appearing in several stories as either a central or supporting character. He featured heavily in Wyrd West (Savage Worlds Campaign) as an NPC and guide to the player characters. Zach is a legendary ranger and spellslinger, who became famous for his theatrical crime sprees in the years before the American Civil War. During the war, Zach and his gang were forced into service by the Union Army as an expendable, behind-enemy-lines strike force. Zach and his gang were killed in action in the final days of the war while attempting to steal a piece of the Confederate Plague Bomb. However, when the bomb backfired days later, Zach and some of his gang were brought back from the dead as revenants. A short time later, Zach escaped the Plaguelands and made his way West, where he has since participated in many adventures. In 1870, Zach is presumed to have been killed (for good) during the Templar attack on the Deadwind camp. Background For many years, Zach was a bank robber and highwayman who plagued the roads and settlements from California to the Western Badlands. How he came across his Spellslinger weapon is still a mystery, though many legends and pulp stories tell fictionalized accounts. In 1864, at the height of the Civil War, Zach was hired by the US military as a mercenary during the Civil War. He was offered a full pardon for himself and his gang in exchange for fighting the Confederacy deep behind enemy lines. Zach, along with his small band of guerillas, liberated slaves, attacked Confederate camps, and destroyed plantations throughout the South. His gang became notorious for their unrivaled cruelty towards Confederate officers and slave owners, many of whom they tortured before killing them and leaving their bodies on display. While the Union denied having ever hired criminals to fight in the war, stories of their exploits soon reached the North and were met with much controversy. Not long before the war ended, Zach’s guerillas were recalled back to the Union, but the orders were ignored. Zach and his gang went rogue and continued to fight the Confederacy right up the end of the war, and even attempted to assassinate General Robert E. Lee. Zach and his gang were presumed dead when the Confederate Plague Bomb backfired and killed nearly everyone in the Confederacy. Wyrd West: Deadwinds (SW) Personality and Traits Though his personality has fluctuated drastically throughout his long life, in his core, Zach is a good and decent person with a firm moral code. He values freedom and justice, and tends to stick to those values even when all else is lost or stripped away. While his values help him maintain who he is in the face of seemingly infinite life, holding to them is a constant test of willpower, one that Zach sometimes fails, often at great cost to him or his loved ones. Politically, Zach is firmly anti-authoritarian and leftist, describing himself on occasion as an anarchist. Before and during the Unification War, he was a pro-abolitionist and admirer of Frederick Douglass and John Brown. In the aftermath of the Unification War, he showed a great deal of sympathy for the many socialist and leftist groups that began appearing in the United States, particularly the Deseret Socialist Union. A century later, during the United States' invasion of Vietnam, Zach actively supported the anti-war movement and was a vocal (and sometimes hostile) critic of presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. He despised president Richard Nixon, who was a frequent topic of discussion between him and his journalist friend. Since the Unification War, Zach has gone through many personality shifts, but his essential traits have stayed relatively the same. He is jaded and cynical in many regards, having been fighting the worst of humanity for most of his long life. He would easily be considered a nihilist were it not for the immense amount of faith he places in individuals who he sees as decent people. He dedicates himself entirely to their causes, and is often one of, if not ''the ''last people at their side during conflict. Such individuals include Hannibal Stone, Aisling, Astrid Dewberry, and So'hinn Bloodsinger, though in the case of So'hinn they eventually parted ways due to moral differences. Zach likely has some form of PTSD due to the many horrors and conflicts he has witnessed since his turning, lending greatly to his cynical and sometimes apathetic attitude. While Zach has little to no blood flow and technically can't get drunk, he is still a heavy drinker and usually carries a flask of strong whiskey in his travels, claiming that strong booze gives him a slight buzz. In his low points, Zach secludes himself from the world, wandering aimlessly and desperately looking for something to fight for. In his high points, he is hedonistic and cheerful, facing even the most dangerous enemies with a witty comment and a smirk. He fluctuates between these two states often, usually hitting low points at the loss of friends and reaching high points when finding new comrades and causes. Before the Reunification War, Zach was a showy, theatrical figure with a flair for the dramatic, often spouting out long-winded monologues whilst robbing banks and stagecoaches. Painting himself as a contemporary Robin Hood, he often gave away the wealth he accumulated from his raids, sometimes to the annoyance of his gang. He rarely killed during his crime sprees, choosing instead to take hostages that he would release once safely away from the authorities. While at home, Zach was a good father, if not a little flawed. Though he was determined to keep his criminal life away from his family, he was honest with his child, never keeping it a secret from her that he was a criminal. An unusual father from the time, Zach encouraged his daughter to pursue her own interests, hoping that she would grow up to be as unrestrained as him. This carefree, theatrical personality would disappear for the most part after the Unification War, giving way to a more jaded, cynical, sometimes nihilistic iteration of the outlaw. Skills and Abilities Zach is a skilled combatant, employing a mix of melee and gunfighting depending on the situation. During the Unification War he was known to carry a hatchet and bowie knife, which he used to take Confederate soldiers in close combat. He was also a renowned marksman, able to use rifles and revolvers with equal effectiveness. Since being cursed with Revenancy, his body has become weaker over time, causing him to prefer keeping his enemies at a distance and taking them down with firearms or other long range weapons. Should he engage in close combat, however, Zach still has an edge, albeit a risky one. He can tap into a monstrous bloodlust, giving him increased strength, agility, and pain resistance for a short time. This shift essentially turns him into a typical revenant or zombie, though he still retains some of his individuality, intelligence, and skills. However, using the bloodlust is incredibly risky, as he must struggle to maintain himself throughout it's activation. Should he fail, he will lose himself entirely, and his body will continue as a mindless wight. Being a revenant has it's advantages, however, at least from an outsider's perspective. Due to his curse, Zach is immortal to some degree, and it's posited by experts that he will live for at least three-hundred years, assuming he is not killed by external means. He is not immune to damage and can be killed the same ways as most undead, including destruction of his brain, a stake through the heart, silver weaponry, and symbols of faith (but only if the wielder's faith is strong enough). Appearance and Design Depending on the time period, Zach is in progressively more advanced states of decay. His most iconic appearance, however, is in the late 19th Century. His skin is grey and very slowly falling off, revealing strands of muscle and even bone, as seen on the corner of his chin. His hair has fallen out years ago, and his teeth, or what remains of them, are yellowed and covered in detritus. His eyes are solid black from the Deathless curse, surrounded by dark red bags in his eye sockets. Perhaps his most well known feature is his lack of nose, which was broken off not long after his resurrection during a brawl. His outfit in the 19th Century consists of his signature green trench coat, stolen Army pants, and black leather boots. He sometimes wears a stitched up shirt underneath his jacket, but often goes without it. When travelling through towns and cities, he wears a heavy scarf and makeshift goggles to hide his face, as well as a black stetson hat. In the mid-20th Century, he trades his classic cowboy look for a shirt and tie, reinforced blazer jacket, sleek black pants, and cowboy boots. Relationships with Other Characters ATR-5 "Atty" The signature "odd pair" of ''Cataclysm, Zach and Atty are very good friends. After Atty was found by the Deadwind Raiders in 1869, Zach quickly befriended the machine, even giving him the nickname "Atty." They have always stayed in touch and have gone on countless adventures together. The two balance each other out, with Zach coaxing Atty into being more spontaneous, and Atty holding Zach back during his wilder escapades. It's been suggested that Zach and Atty are or have been in a romantic relationship, and while both may have considered the prospect at some point, neither have gone through with it. "Bunny" Before being drafted by the army to fight in the Unification War, Zach was the single father of a child whom he affectionately called "Bunny," as both a nickname and a term of endearment. Very little is known about Bunny. Zach was honest with his child about his chosen career, and raised her with a healthy suspicion of law enforcement and government. Zach was allowed by his government handlers to say goodbye to his daughter at the train platform before being taken away. At their goodbye, Zach promised that he would return safely and that he and Bunny would move to a safe place, away from the law and the bandits, and that they would never have to run away again. It is unknown if he ever reunited with his daughter after he turned. Edward Cruft Edward was the first member of the original Savage Worlds campaign to meet Zach, and possibly the first Cataclysm ''hero Zach encountered after his turning. Though ideologically opposed most of the time, Zach and Edward have a working acquaintance and hold each other in relatively high esteem. Edward views Zach as an exception to the rule, an honorable thief in a den of murderers. Zach despises the army but respects Edward to a degree, and he believes that Edward is capable of breaking away from the authoritarianism of his upbringing. At first, Zach had difficulty trusting Edward due to his army membership, and was unwilling to share his knowledge on the faction that attacked the train with him. Like So'hinn, Zach would often poke fun at Edward for his supposedly self-righteous attitude and strict moral code. However, Zach was one of two party members (the other being Susie) to show concern for Edward after he vanished. Once Edward returned to the party after being tortured and framed for murder, Zach became much kinder to the mage, having been similarly mistreated and disfigured by the army. Despite their differences, the two consider each other friends. So'hinn Bloodsinger When Zach and So'hinn first met, they hit it off incredibly well and became fast friends. Their mutual love of chaos, fighting, and revelry overshadowed any moral disagreements they may have had, and it's safe to say that the rise of the Deadwind Raiders may not have been possible had So'hinn and Zach never met. As So'hinn's second in command and tactical adviser, Zach lent his military expertise to So'hinn's cause and led many missions on his behalf. The rift between them began to form when it became evident that So'hinn was less interested in liberating the Lawless Territories than he was in simply raising hell and harassing the town of Evanston. When So'hinn drunkenly proposed that the Raiders sack Evanston in a raid that would kill all of their members, Zach took him to task, and the two argued fiercely for hours. By the time the Templars attacked the Deadwind camp, the two outlaws were bitter and contemptuous towards each other, and Zach had decided to leave the Raiders as soon as possible. Other Relationships Zach was fond of the witch Susie Hagfish and tried to protect her during combat. He found the young witch amusing and encouraged her antics. The few times that other Deadwinds would mock her, he usually spoke up on her behalf. It is unknown if they stayed in touch after the Templar attack or not. Zach knew about Winchester's curse and tried to help him overcome it, but to no avail. The two did not get along, and Zach believed that Winchester was too dangerous and wicked to keep around. He was relieved when Winchester was seemingly killed during the Templar attack on the Deadwinds. Zach generally got along with the other members of the Deadwind Raiders and shared a casual rapport with most of them. As the middleman between the troops and So'hinn, he had a better understanding of the gang's needs and, for the most part, cared for the gang's well being. Before he was drafted into the army to fight in the Unification War, Zach had an intimate relationship with a woman that he was very close to. At some point, she became pregnant, and the couple later had a child. It is unknown who this woman was or what happened to her after the child was born. Alternate Versions A number of alternate Zachs have appeared in the Wyrd West canon. '''Captain Zach: '''In a potential 25th Century, Zach was the captain of a Space Battleship known as the ''Avenging Angel, ''a powerful pirate ship that had become the flagship of the Midgard Resistance Fleet. During the final battle with an extra-dimensional enemy, Captain Zach activated the Last Waygate, and used it to reach back in time to his younger selves. What followed was a complex web of events spanning several centuries, in which Zach worked through his younger selves to try and prevent, or at least delay, the arrival of the enemy that would attack Midgard in his time. When the Zachs successfully rescued the Deadwinds from being killed by the Templars, Captain Zach seemed to think his timeline had been averted, as he believed the Deadwinds were instrumental in stopping the enemy from ever appearing. It is still unknown if his hunch was right, as this potential future has not been seen since the Deadwinds returned to the train in the proper timeline. '''Punk Zach: '''At the end of the Templar assault on the Deadwind base, the party was rescued by an entity who appeared to be Zach. This Zach was more decomposed than the one they knew from before, and was dressed in punk rock regalia from the 1970's or 1980's. Punk Zach appeared in a flash of light and slowed down time, allowing the party to escape their captors and kill the Grand Paladin. It is unknown if this version of Zach still exists or will exist. '''Gonzo' 'Zach: '''In a potential version of the 1960's, both Zach and Atty are wanderers who travel the major highways of America in a beaten down T2 minibus, hunting the agents of the Court of Shadow. '''Mister Stitch: '''In the Grim reality, rather than becoming a hero, Zach joined the Court of Shadow after turning. By 1869 he had become an Emissary, but had grander plans for the Court, which he viewed as behind the times. Under the pseudonym of Mister Stitch, Zach manipulated a Wukar named Thurval and an Alfein named Talin into helping him raid a supply train of Waystones, which he absorbed into himself, giving him horrific levels of arcane power. He went on to use these abilities to kill the Court of Shadow's inner circle, placing himself in power over the entire organization. Under his command, the Shadow quickly took over the Union of Columbia and declared war on the Sylvan Enclave. '''Zeke: '''In the Susie's futuristic 1984 pocket world, Zach was represented by a three-eyed mutant named Zeke, who helped Susie navigate the impoverished lower levels of San Francisco. This version of Zach was erased from the multiverse once Susie entered the Waygate. '''Jimmy: '''In the Edward Cruft's 1944 pocket, Edward Cruft was driven to his award ceremony by a friend of his from the army, a fast-talking New Yorker named Jimmy. After Cruft received his medal, he got back in the car with Jimmy, who then revealed himself to be a revenant. Jimmy drove Cruft to a Waygate in Central Park, telling him to say "hi" to the gang for him. This version of Zach was erased along with the rest of the 1984 pocket. '''Boss Z: '''In So'hinn's post-apocalyptic 2076 pocket, So'hinn and his tracking partner, Rick, were assisted by an undead gang boss named Z, who helped them escape the town of Sanctuary's law enforcing Archangel droids. Like the other pocket Zachs, this Zach was erased along with his pocket world. Trivia and Behind the Scenes * In the 20th Century, Zach's favorite band is The Clash. * Zach often serves as a mentor or guide to the heroes in ''Cataclysm, ''sometimes taking a role akin to that of Gandalf in J.R.R. Tolkein's ''The Hobbit; ''a powerful figure who assists and guides the heroes when necessary but generally leaves them to their own devices. * Zach originated as a fan-made character for the ''Fallout series of video games. In his original backstory, Zach was a Desert Ranger who was trapped inside of an irradiated Vault, where he was painfully mutated into a ghoul. * Much of Zach's appearance and attitudes are inspired by 20th Century rock musicians, such as his aversion to shirts (Iggy Pop), his rebellious antics (Joe Strummer) and his 20th Century sleek suit and sunken eyes (Nick Cave). * Zach's political views in the 20th Century are based heavily those of gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson. * The hilt of Zach's spellslinger revolver is decorated with a design of two dragons. This is an homage to the revolver used by Clint Eastwood in ''Rawhide ''and ''The Man With No Name ''Trilogy, which had a similar design of two snakes. * The open wound on his chin is a nod to actor Harrison Ford who has a similar, albeit less severe, scar on his chin. Gallery